Fence.



J. J. DUN.

FENCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1911.

1,064,821 Patented June 17, 1913.

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JOHN J. DUN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FENCE.

Application filed January 11, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN J. DUN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in fences, and has particular application to means for staying and supporting metallic fences, such as those composed of woven wire or the like.

In *arrying out my invention, it is my purpose to provide a construction whereby a fence of the character described may be rapidly assembled with comparatively little expenditure of time and labor.

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby a relatively long fence may be rapidly erected or assembled, and the woven wire composing the same may be maintained firmly in position.

My invention consists in the realization of the application of the well known fact that a far superior fence can be built, if the members thereof are maintained by tensile forces as opposed to compression forces. lVith this fact as a basis, I have realized that in order to provide a fence of woven wire which will not be subjected to the common draw-back of sagging, it is necessary that the woven wire be kept on a tensile strain both horizontally and vertically. Therefore, my invention contemplates, of course, the stretching of the woven wire strip longitudinally and the subsequent maintenance of the-strip in a stretched condition transversely. In other words, my fence i designed to be initially stretched longitudinally and secured in position. Then a means is provided for stretching the woven fence strip vertically. This means is permanent in its nature and actual experience demonstrates that a comparatively small force is required to exert sufficient tensile stress in a vertical direction to main tain the wire fence strip against sagging. I have accomplished this by the provision of a means for maintaining the lower edge of the woven wire strip in a constant relation to the ground and by a cable loosely connected to the upper strand of the woven strip in such a manner that a tautening of the cable will serve to raise the said upper strand at a number of determinate points throughout the length of the woven strip.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1913.

Serial No. 601,952.

As a consequence, there is produced a vertical stress which, being subsequently maintained, absolutely precludes sagging. Furthermore, experience has demonstrated that my cable may be made to operate over a fence of an indefinite length. In the preferred form, my fence is anchored to the ground at a number of points along the lower edge thereof and a continuous wire is looped around the upper strand of the woven wire strip. The cable element is then extended along and above the top of the woven wire strip and may be loosely supported by the posts ordinarily used. The cable passe through the loops formed by the continuous wire which is looped around the strand as aforesaid and any t-autening of the cable serves to produce an upward stress upon the woven wire strip at the points of connection of the continuously looped wire therewith.

I also aim to provide a construction wherein a temporary fence may be rapidly and economically assembled and dismantled. As is well known, it is frequently desirable, on farms and the like, to erect a fence about a field or lot for temporary purposes only, and heretofore the erection of such a fence has resulted in the outlay of considerable time, labor and expense, inasmuch as the fence partook more in the nature of a permanent structure, although it was desired to dismantle the same after it had been in use a short time.

W'ith my improved construction, a fence may be erected, which, while it is as strong and serviceable as a permanent fence, yet possesses the great advantage that it may be erected and torn down in comparatively little time.

I'Vith the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction. combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within scope of the appended claims.

Yfhile I have in the accompanying drawings. shown one particular embodiment of my invention, by way of illustration, I wish it to be UIKIGI'SLOOLl that I do not confine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a view in elevation of a fence constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 9. is a top plan view of the same.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates one of the main supports or posts of my fence. In actual use I employ, say, two of these posts for the side of the field to be fenced, the second post having one end of the main or top cable 5 attached thereto, the opposite end of the cable passing through an opening or bore 6 of the post A and is wrapped upon the ratchet drum 7 which is provided with the shaft 8 through which the drum may be rotated to tighten the cable and consequently the fence, the pawl of the ratchet being indicated by the numeral 9. In the drawings I have notshown the second post or support, as it is similar to that shown at A. The post A is embedded in the ground in the usual manner and is further stayed or supported by the guy 10, one end of which engages with the eye 11 of the eyebolt 12, while the opposite end is connected to the wooden. anchor block 13% which is also embedded in the ground, this tending to preserve the block and lengthen the life of the fence. The body of the fence is indicated by the letter B and may be composed of any desired or standard style of fencing, such as that of woven wire, mesh or the like as is usually purchased in the open market. One end of the fencing is connected with the main post or support in any preferred manner, such as through the medium of staples or other fastenings as at 13. Should the fence be a relatively long one, I provide at suitable intervals auXil iary posts or supports as shown at 14t. These posts are preferably not as large as the main posts A, and are embedded in the ground as is the main post. The mesh or woven wire body is also secured to these posts by staples or other fastenings 15, while near the top of the post I provide a suitable hook or eye 16, through which the top cable 5 runs, and which forms a support and bearing for such cable. The fenc-. ing B, I preferably support or hang from the cable 5 by a second cable or wire 17 which connects or loops the top strand of the fencing body to the cable 5, so that the fence is suspended or hung as shown in Fig. 1. To one of the lower strands of the fence body, I attach at suitable intervals short wires or cables 18 having the free ends connected to small anchors 19 of suitable construction which are also embedded in the ground.

From the construction as described, it will be noted that I have provided a construction of fence which may be erected and dismantled rapidly and economically. The woven or mesh fencing employed may be of the ordinary kind readily purchasable in the open market, and the fence may be erected in a short time without employing a number of persons on the work. Furthermore it Will be noted that the fence may be maintained at all times at the requisite taut ness and rigidity, by merely taking up the slack in the main cable by means of the winding drum or wire tightener on the main support A.

Furthermore my fence may be erected over ground having an uneven surface, for should depressions, or hollows occur at a point where the fence is to cross, the lower edge of the fence may be anchored at the required distance above the surface of the ground, the looping or suspending wire or cable being correspondingly lengthened or loosened to permit of this.

Wh at I claim is 1. In a wire fence, a plurality of posts, a strip of wire mesh longitudinally stretched and secured to said posts, an independent wire stretched between said posts and above said wire mesh, and means for uniformly stretching said wire mesh transversely throughout its length between said posts upon tautening of said independent wire.

2. In a wire fence, a plurality of posts, a strip of wire mesh longitudinally stretched between said posts, an independent Wire stretched between said posts and above said wire mesh, and a continuous wire looped about the upper portion of said wire mesh and said independent wire at repeated intervals throughout the distance between said posts.

3. In a wire fence, a plurality of posts, a strip of wire mesh longitudinally stretched between said posts, an independent wire stretched between said posts and above said wire mesh, a continuous wire looped about the upper portion of said wire mesh and said independent wire at repeated intervals throughout the distance between said posts, and means mounted on one of said posts for drawing said independent wire taut.

a. In a wire mesh fence a plurality of posts, a strip of wire mesh longitudinally stretched and secured to said posts, means for maintaining a constant relation of the bottom of said strip to the ground, a continuous wire looped around the upper strand of the said wire mesh strip, and a cable loosely extending through the loops formed by said continuous wire and adapted to be tautened.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. DUN.

Witnesses:

A. L. PHnLPs,

INGLE A. IVIORRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

